The international exhibition centres on the role of arts during the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648). Named Bellum et Artes (War and Art), the exhibition unravels the complex interplay between conflict and artistic expression.
Bellum et Artes explores an early large-scale conflict in Europe through the warring parties’ strategic employment of the arts as a military propaganda tool and to accentuate their power. It goes on to demonstrate the impact of works of art as ‘ambassadors of peace’. The migration of artists and the displacement of artistic treasures during this period are subjects which can be analysed through interactive media stations. Furthermore, Bellum et Artes delves into the struggle for peace, illuminating political schemes and the genesis of legal and political principles that continue to have relevance today.
Running until early 2025, the exhibition is accompanied by events on the theme of “War and Art” — such as guided tours and film screenings — enriching visitors’ understanding of the first pan- European war and the significance of this subject matter for our times.
Bellum et Artes is a Europe-wide research project involving a dozen institutions from seven countries, coordinated by the Leibniz Institute for the History and Culture of Eastern Europe and the Dresden State Art Collections. The exhibition in Brussels has been co-curated with the House of European History team and highlights the main results and findings of this international collaboration.
espite the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, Europe did not achieve lasting peace. Wars, militarisation, and colonial expansion continued, leading to devastating conflicts. Efforts for universal peace through initiatives such as the Hague Conventions and the League of Nations were undermined by the two World Wars. While the European Union has prevented member states from waging war against each other since World War II, the threat of conflict persists in Europe, whilst continually being condemned as a means of achieving political goals.
Martin John Callanan (born 1982), Wars during my lifetime, 2014, video, 14′.20″, Courtesy of the artist